125th New York Infantry Monument - Gettysburg, PA
N 39° 48.884 W 077° 14.115
18S E 308676 N 4409585
The monument is one of ninety honoring New York unites in the Gettysburg campaign. The monument marks the position held by the regiment on July 2nd and 3rd, 1863. The bronze inscription plaque was added in 1902 by the Regimental Committee.
Waymark Code: WMCTJD
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 10/10/2011
Views: 5
The The 125th New York Infantryserved as a member of Willard’s Brigade in Hays’ Division of the Second Corps, Army of the Potomac, a Fighting 300 Regiment. The 125th New York was commanded at the Battle of Gettysburg by Lieutenant Colonel Levin Crandell [(1826-1907). Book keeper from Troy; wounded at Petersburg.] while Colonel George L. Willard commanded the brigade. Colonel Willard was killed on July 2, and is honored on a monument in the swale to the west of the regimental monument. The unit brought 500 men to the field and among them, 26 were killed, 104 wounded, and 9 went missing.
The 125th and its sister regiments in the brigade had been branded as the "Harpers Ferry cowards" for their surrender - through no fault of their own - with the garrison of Harper's ferry during the Antietam campaign in 1862. Paroled but forced to spend a miserable winter in a Union prisoner of war camp in Chicago until exchanged, the brigade was looking for a chance to clear their name - and more than did so at Gettysburg.
The 125th New York Infantry Monument is located on the east side of North Hancock Avenue @ Ziegler’s Grove. (if you are traveling south down North hancock Road). Draw the Sword, with descriptive help from the NPS site, offers the following description:
A rectangular granite monument carved at the top with a trefoil symbol is adorned on the front with a round bronze relief plaque depicting the state seal. The bronze inscription plaque was added in 1902 by the Regimental Committee after permission was granted by the Secretary of War to do so in 1897. The monument marks the position held by the regiment on July 2nd and 3rd, 1863. Monument has a stepped granite shaft of which the upper part is polished and topped with a clover leaf insignia, and set on a stepped base with the bottom step 9×6.8 foot. Upper part of the shaft has excised inscription above a medallion on one side and a bronze tablet on the opposite face. Flanking markers are one foot square.
The monument was dedicated October 3, 1888 by the State of New York and was fabricated by Frederick & Field. The monument is composed of Quincy granite with a bronze relief plaque. The sculpture has the following dimensions: Approx. 11 ft. x 9 ft. x 6 ft. 8 in. The two-sided inscription reads:
(Front):125th New York Infantry,
3d Brig. 3d Div. 2d Corps.
Recruited in Rensselaer Co. N.Y.
Mustered in at Troy, N.Y. Aug. 27th 1862.
Engaged in 23 battles.
Mustered out at Albany, N.Y. June 5th 1865.
(Back):George Lamb Willard.Colonel 125th New York Infantry. Major 19th United States Infantry and Brevet-Colonel United States Army.
Born August 15, 1827. Killed in action July 2, 1863, while in command of his Brigade at the place marked by a granite monument 1,070 yards to the left.
July 2, 1863, Regiment in line at the stone wall until 7 p.m. when the Brigade went to the support of the Third Corps. Charged and drove back Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade. Returned at 8:30 p.m.
July 3, 1863, Regiment in front on line of the stone wall west side of Hancock Avenue at time of Longstreet's assault.
Number engaged, 500; killed 26; wounded 104; missing 9; Total 139. Regiment participated in all of the battles engaged in by the Army of the Potomac from that time up to and including Appomattox, Va., April 9, 1865.
The 125th New York Infantry Monument is a contributing feature to the Gettysburg
National Military Park Historic District which is nationally significant under NR
Criteria A, B, C & D. Areas of Significance: Military, Politics/Government, Landscape
Architecture, Conservation, Archeology-Historic. Period of Significance: 1863-1938.
The original National Register Nomination was approved by the Keeper March 19, 1975.
An update to this nomination was approved by the Keeper on January 23, 2004. The
monument is identified as structure number MN214-B.
From the Nomination Form:
1 of 90 Monuments to New York. Indicates position held by 125th NY night of Jul 2, 1863-Jul 3, 1863. LF&RF markers 67'&61' N-S of Mn. Located E side N Hancock Av.
Short Physical Description:
Mn, 2 Flank Markers. Mn: fnd base 9'x6'-8", stepped granite base & shaft. Polished upper shaft w/excised inscrip above medallion, bronze tablet reverse. Top: clover leaf insignia. LF&RF 1'sq x 1'-4", both chipped.
Long Physical Description:
Monument that has two flanking markers. Monument has a stepped granite shaft of which the upper part is polished and topped with a clover leaf insignia, and set on a stepped base with the bottom step 9x6.8 foot. Upper part of the shaft has excised inscription above a medallion on one side and a bronze tablet on the opposite face. Flanking markers are one foot square. Located on the east side of north Hancock Avenue.
My Sources
1.
NRHP Narrative
2.
SIRIS
3.
Stone Sentinels
4.
Virtual Gettysburg
5.
Draw the Sword
6.
Historical Marker Database
7.
New York State Military Museum